Background Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) is caused by abnormal storage of sphingomyelin. NPD may affect the pulmonary system and cause hypoxia. In the present case, both hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) and pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas (PAVFs) developed in a child with NPD and were successfully treated with repeated embolization. Case Presentation We have reported the case of a 16-year-old-girl with NPD who suffered severe hypoxia, dyspnea, fatigue, had multiple PAVFs, and was diagnosed with type 2 HPS. To improve oxygenation, 10 PAVFs were embolized. She needed re-embolization after 9 months because of hypoxia redevelopment. Conclusions Pulmonary involvement, HPS, and/or PAVFs could be responsible for hypoxemia in patients with NPD, who should, therefore, be investigated for HPS and PAVFs. Embolization could be beneficial. Some patients may need repeated embolization.Bacterial leaf spot disease caused by X. cucurbitae has severely affected the pumpkin industries in the Midwestern region of United States, with the bacteria mainly infecting pumpkin leaves and fruits, and leading to significant yield losses. In this study, we utilized genomics and genetics approaches to elucidate Xanthomonas cucurbitae molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis during interaction with its host. We generated the first reference-quality whole-genome sequence of the X. cucurbitae type isolate and compared to other Xanthomonas species, X. cucurbitae has a smaller genome size with fewer virulence-related genes. RNA-seq analysis of X. cucurbitae under plant-mimicking media conditions showed altered transcriptional responses, with upregulation of virulence genes and downregulation of cellular homeostasis genes. Additionally, characterization of key virulence genes using gene deletion methods revealed that both type II enzymes and type III effectors are necessary for X. cucurbitae to cause infection in the pumpkin host.Puccinia kuehnii is an obligate biotrophic fungal pathogen that causes orange rust of sugarcane, which is prevalent in many countries around the globe. In the USA, orange rust was first detected in sugarcane in Florida in 2007 and poses a persistent and economically damaging threat to the sugarcane industry in this region. Here, we generated the first genome assemblies for two isolates of P. kuehnii (1040 and 2143) collected in Florida in 2017 from two sugarcane cultivars, CL85-1040 and CP89-2143, respectively. These two rust genome resources will be of immense value for future genomic studies, particularly further exploration of the predicted secretomes that may help define key pathogenicity determinants for this economically important pathogen.Effective mentoring promotes the development and success of graduate students. Yet mentoring, like other relationships, can have negative elements. Little knowledge exists about the problematic mentoring that graduate students experience despite its potentially detrimental impacts. To begin to address this gap, we conducted an exploratory interview study to define and characterize negative mentoring experiences of 40 life science doctoral students. Students attributed their negative mentoring experiences to interacting factors at multiple levels-from interpersonal differences and poor relationship quality to issues at the research group, departmental, organizational, and discipline levels-all of which they perceived as harmful to their development. We found that doctoral students experienced forms of negative mentoring similar to those reported in workplace and undergraduate research settings, but they also experienced negative mentoring that was unique to academic research and their stage of development. Our results are useful to mentors for reflecting on ways their behaviors might be perceived, to mentees for avoiding situations that might be conducive to negative mentoring, and to programs and institutions for improving structures and processes to prevent negative mentoring. Our findings also serve as a foundation for future research on the prevalence and impacts of negative mentoring experiences in graduate education.Research mentors are reticent to address, and sometimes unaware of how, racial or ethnic differences may influence their mentees' research experiences. Increasing research mentors' cultural diversity awareness (CDA) is one step toward improving mentoring effectiveness, particularly with mentees from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. The indicators of CDA for research mentors are not yet known. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/apr-246-prima-1met.html Thus, we developed a scale to assess CDA related to race/ethnicity (CDA-R/E) in research mentoring relationships informed by multicultural counseling theory and social cognitive theory. The validation process was guided by classical test theory and item response theory and involved qualitative data, cognitive interviews, and an iterative series of item testing with national samples of mentors and mentees. Confirmatory factor analysis evidenced validity for a three-factor mentor scale assessing attitudes, behavior, and confidence, and a two-factor mentee scale assessing attitudes and behavior. The mentee version captures mentees' perception of the relevance of culturally aware mentoring ("Attitudes") and their perception of the frequency of mentor's culturally aware mentoring behaviors ("Behaviors"). Implications for use of the CDA-R/E scale in practice, such as assessing alignment between mentor and mentee CDA scores, and use in future studies are discussed.Participating in mentored undergraduate research experiences can improve students' grade point averages, retention, and job placement. Graduate students also benefit from serving as mentors, as they gain teaching and research management experience. In early 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic caused many institutions to shut down physical work spaces and move research and teaching online. In this study, we explore how graduate student mentors and undergraduate student mentees at Washington University in St. Louis adapted to virtual research mentoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined changes in mentoring methods, research productivity, and the impact on the future plans of both mentors and mentees across six science/engineering departments. Survey responses from 79 mentees and 38 mentors indicated that a majority of mentees were able to have meaningful and productive virtual mentoring experiences, while other mentors failed to adequately involve their mentees in continued mentoring. Focusing virtual research experiences on activities such as literature review and data analysis and collaborating on goal setting can serve as a way for mentors to engage mentees even when they are unable to access lab equipment.